WALES soccer star Craig Bellamy has been fined #750 after admitting using abusive and insulting language.

The 24-year-old Newcastle United striker pleaded guilty to a charge under section five of the Public Order Act, admitting that he had started swearing after being refused entry to a nightclub at Millennium Plaza, Cardiff, in March this year.

A more serious charge of using racially-aggravated threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, was withdrawn by the prosecution.

Bellamy, who reportedly earns #50,000 a week, appeared in court wearing a grey suit with a Welsh dragon emblazoned on the pocket, to enter his guilty plea.

Prosecutor Martin Thomas told the court that the incident took place after midnight on March 24, when Bellamy had appeared to be drunk.

The football star had attempted to get into the Jumpin' Jaks nightclub, but because it had gone midnight the bouncers would not let him in.

"Unfortunately the denial of access invited something of a confrontation between Mr Bellamy and the door staff," said Mr Thomas.

"The witnesses describe Mr Bellamy as being in an intoxicated condition and being abusive."

He said Bellamy had tried to push past the bouncers, but there were more of them and they were bigger than him.

They physically pushed him down the steps of the club, and he shouted up at them from below.

A crowd of passers-by then gathered to watch the argument involving the footballer. Some of them shouted insults at Bellamy and he answered back.

Police arrived at the scene but the footballer left in a taxi.

Only later was a complaint made against Bellamy, who was easily identified.

"Mr Bellamy, as you are aware, is a professional football player," said Mr Thomas.

"As a sporting figure - a Premiership footballer and international footballer - he is readily recognised by members of the public."

Bellamy was subsequently called to a police station in Cardiff where he was questioned about the incident and admitted his language had been abusive.

Mr Bellamy's lawyer, Mark Haslam, told the court that his client apologised for his behaviour on that night. But he said that Bellamy was not guilty of any racially aggravated offence.

"This case has a long history - other more serious and more sinister allegations have been made.

"It has been the subject of much adverse publicity because of that," he said.

"The behaviour was not in any way racially aggravated," he added.

He urged the Deputy District Judge not to sentence his client as Craig Bellamy, but on the basis of the facts of the case.

"It follows that the court will consider his position as a public figure and he accepts that," he said.

"He has paid a heavy price in this case already in terms of negative publicity.

"This is a young man of great potential, extremely talented, who has the potential to be a role model both on and off the field.

"He accepts, moreover, that he needs to put this sort of behaviour behind him.

"He does not anticipate for one moment being back in this building or a similar building again in relation to an incident of this sort.

"He has learned a salutary lesson."

Deputy District Judge Anthony Smith Jones fined Bellamy #750 and ordered him to pay a further #75 in costs for the offence, which he noted was "fuelled by drinking".

"People do look up to you and you have let yourself down," he told Bellamy.

Bellamy, who cost Newcastle #6m when he signed from Coventry City in 2001, replied quietly from the dock, "Yes".

He won a place in Welsh sporting history by scoring the winning goal against Italy last year in a Euro 2004 qualifier in Cardiff.